Bark walked up closer to Gary. “Since this was our original goal, we might as well get on with it. I want to know about Rina’s nanites. How do I get my own? What did she do to get a different system than the rest of us?”

  “One inquiry at a time, Bark.” Although Gary’s voice was robotic, there was an almost human reflection as he sounded annoyed with Bark. He’s a literal talking head on a podium. “I cannot answer any of your questions because I do not have the answers.”

  “Why not?” Bark stomped his foot as he raised his voice.

  “Because I have no interaction with this Rina’s nanites,” Gary answered in an even tone.

  I stepped around Bark. “Then tell me how you know I have an artificial soul.”

  The light for Gary’s eyes flickered several times. “I do not have a means of visual feedback like you do. But I see through the system, as I am intrinsically integrated with it. But now I understand why it is you look like you do not belong. It is because you do not.”

  I clenched my jaw for a moment. Someone else is telling me that I don’t belong. Why do people keep doing that? “I decide where I belong and what I do. I’m sick of hearing that I have to die, that I don’t belong, or that I have to do this or that.” I pointed at the robotic head as I stepped closer. “Why is it so hard to let me just live? I didn’t ask for any of this.”

  “That is not my problem.” Gary’s response aggravated me. I curled my hand into a fist as I was about to punch him. “My role is to simply provide answers to inquiries.”

  My fingers ached as I clenched my fists.

  We do not recommend violence in this situation. The host should continue asking questions, one at a time.

  “Then answer my inquiry about Rina’s nanites.” Bark pulled me away from Garry.

  “Will you two settle down?” Killa marched her little self between Bark and Gary. “You’re acting irrational right now. Rina, you’re upset; I understand that. But Bark, you need to give Gary a chance to talk to Rina to get the answers you want.”

  Bark’s frustration was palpable as he paced in front of the robotic head. “This is ridiculous. You’re supposed to be connected to the Nexus. You’re supposed to know things. So, why don’t you know about Rina’s nanites?”

  Gary’s mechanical voice held a hint of exasperation, “I have access to the Nexus, but not all knowledge is accessible. I am restricted from certain data. The Soul Nexus is not all-knowing. And Rina is an anomaly.”

  Killa turned and looked up at the golem. “Then what do you need to learn more about the nanites?”

  “Direct connection.” Gary’s response ceased all movement as we just stared at him.

  I blinked. “And how do you do that?”

  The podium opened up a secret door that revealed a plaque with an indent of a handprint. “Place your hand in the center, and I will do the rest.”

  Killa and Bark stared at me for a moment. Well, what do I have to lose? Hopefully, this will give me some more answers.

  I did as Gary said and placed my hand in the indent. My hand was clearly smaller than the imprint. But I concentrated on the feeling of the stone, only to realize I couldn’t feel it. My skin scraped across the stone with the slight movements of me curling my fingertips, but again, I didn’t feel anything.

  The host has reduced tactile feedback in their arms and hands.

  A click interrupted my musings. Suddenly, a metal spike was protruding from the center of my hand. The pain took a second before it caught up with what I saw. Before I could dislodge my hand, two hooks extended out of the spike and pinned my hand to the plaque.

  I screamed as I felt the pain. My knees went weak as I tried desperately to pull my hand free. As much as it hurt, I couldn’t take my eyes off the sight of my impaled hand. I tugged and pulled, but my hand was thoroughly trapped.

  To heal the damage, the host must remove the obstruction.

  I couldn’t escape, so I started punching the metal head in the hopes that it’d free me. The clang of metal on metal joined my endless screaming as I threw punch after punch at Gary’s head. It didn’t change anything, and I could feel my heart rate rising. My nanites were trying to repair the damage and force the spike from my hand, but even they couldn’t do it.

  To heal the damage, the host must remove the obstruction.

  I’m trying! Do you think I enjoy this? Does it look like I’m having fun here?

  Killa joined me and tried to pull at the hooks pinning my hand. She got as far as I did and was saying something, but I drowned out her voice with my wailing.

  Without warning, the spike dropped, unpinned my hand, and retracted back into the hand imprint without leaving any sign it was there to begin with. Reflexively, I recoiled my hand and cradled it. I watched as the bones were shifted back into place and the muscles filled the hole.

  When the metal layer of my skin folded back over and returned to normal, I finally returned my attention to the evil robot head. “What was that for?”

  “Direct contact with the nanites was required,” Gary answered. “The information I acquired was... unexpected.”

  “You stabbed me!” I rubbed at the phantom pain in my hand. “How is that required?”

  “The nanites are inside your body, correct?” I didn’t answer Gary’s rhetorical question. “To establish direct contact, we needed to penetrate the skin. I expected that you understood that. The pain was an unfortunate side effect, but your skin isn’t easy to penetrate. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.”

  I thought that was the idea of the upgrade. But it looks like it came back to bite me, hard.

  Bark arched an eyebrow. “You said the information you found was unexpected, how so?”

  “To start with, her nanites are not unlike a golem by definition.” Gary paused for an uncomfortably long time. None of us moved or said anything. I barely remembered to breathe as I waited for more information that I knew had to be coming. “But instead of one intelligence controlling a single body like every other golem created, it is one controlling many. I did not know that was possible.”

  “Is she, it, some kind of artificial intelligence?”

  We can be understood as an artificial intelligence.

  “Who?” both my companions asked simultaneously.

  “Uh…” How do I say this without sounding completely nuts? “The system created a voice that communicates with me and helps me use it, sort of.”

  They both eyed me as if worried. But Gary spoke up first. “An entity connected to the Soul Nexus’s system would make sense. But I also noticed that the nanites are infused with an unclassified energy source.”

  That might be the cosmic energy that Orange talked about before. “Have you heard of cosmic energy?”

  Gary’s eyes went dark for a moment before lighting back up. “There is no such substance or phenomenon to my knowledge.”

  The cosmic energy has dispersed. We do not know what this Gary is mentioning.

  “I don’t know what’s going on anymore.” Killa shook her head and started pacing.

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  Bark scratched the back of his head. “So what does all this mean? How can I get to use the same system as her? More importantly, how does any of this information help me get use of her nanites?”

  “One inquiry at a time.”

  Gary really has a one-track mind or something. Why can’t he handle multiple questions at once?

  Gary may have a single-core processor.

  “Fine, her nanites then.” Bark eyed the robotic head intently. “Can she give them to me?”

  “I have determined that Rina can no longer live without her nanites. They have become so ingrained into her biology that if they were to all be removed, her body would shut down. Because of that, the nanites will not function outside of her biology.”

  “Her system?” Bark pleaded.

  “I can’t access any information about it. Assume that you will not be able to integrate with the same system.” Gary’s words seemed to break something in Bark. There was a subtle shift in his face as his body seemed to shake.

  He jabbed a finger towards Gary. “And why can’t I get the same system as Rina? She gets some upgrades from her nanites, and I want that. I need that.”

  “I cannot provide you with her nanites because they are not simply a matter of acquisition,” Gary replied, its digital tone tinged with impatience. “Rina’s system is distinct due to unique circumstances. Attempting to integrate those nanites into your body would be unstable and could prove potentially fatal.”

  Bark shook his fist at Gary. “Fatal or not, I don’t care. I need those nanites. I need them, and I’ll take the risk. No matter the cost, I will succeed at climbing the Nexus and become the fifth.” He then turned to me. There was something terrifying about how he looked at me.

  Killa stepped in front of Bark, placing her hands on his hips. “Bark, what has gotten into you? You need to listen to Gary. If he says it’s dangerous, we need to consider...”

  “Consider what?” Bark snapped, cutting her off. “Another alternative? What if there are none? What if my people have to stay in the Nexus and suffer for hundreds, thousands, millions of years because I couldn’t make it? No. I can’t allow that.” One of his hands went to his belt as he pushed Killa to the side.

  “What… what are you doing?” I took a step back and held up my hands.

  Bark pulled out a dagger I didn’t know he had. “You’re holding back. You need to share the wealth. We’re a team, aren’t we? So give me your nanites, or I will take them.”

  I took another step back. Orange, please tell me there’s something I can do. There has got to be a way to share my system with him.

  It is impossible to integrate with another host that has already integrated with another system. The golem is correct. Any attempt to assimilate the host’s nanites into another host will likely be lethal for the recipient.

  My heart raced as I backed away from Bark. Then my back hit a wall. “Bark, please, don’t do this. You’re my friend, and this won’t work. I’m not lying. My system agrees with Gary. This could kill you.”

  Bark glared at me more intensely. “If you were really my friend, then you wouldn’t be hogging all that power for yourself. You would be helping me climb the Nexus.”

  “But I am helping you.” I held out my hand. “I want to reach the top with both of you.”

  “It seems you were followed.” Gary’s voice cut through the pandemonium. “Another entity is headed this way.”

  I didn’t have time to digest what Gary said before Bark had grabbed my arm. There was a coldness and fear in Bark’s voice as he said, “I’m out of time.”

  Panic surged within me as I watched him raise the dagger over his head in a reverse grip. “Bark, no.”

  “Stop!” Killa shouted.

  Her arms stretched and wrapped around the arm holding the dagger. The dagger lurched towards me but stopped. Bark then drew one of his swords, spun around, and brought it down on Killa. Her body split in two and fell into two puddles only to reform with a murderous look.

  Bark pulled out the oil he collected from the bodies earlier. His thumb snapped off the top before he plunged it and his fist into Killa’s chest. The shock in her face slowly twisted into a horrifying silent scream of anguish. Her head dropped into her body as it started to melt.

  Watching your friend melt into a pool of goo without so much as a peep left me stumbling away. Bark turned back to me to drive the sword into my gut. His thrust was slow. I turned so that it missed me. Hearing the blade bite into the stone broke what was left of my cracked mind. Seeing it embedded several inches in the stone split my fragile heart.

  “How could you?” My trembling voice was barely more than a whisper. However, in the silence it carried all my pain effortlessly.

  “How can you keep those nanites to yourself?” Bark’s flat, emotionless voice twisted the metaphorical knife in my chest.

  I couldn’t keep the pain in anymore. “You killed her! She’s your friend.”

  He killed her and he’s going to kill me next.

  Then the host should fight back.

  I can’t. I can’t do it. He is—was—my friend.

  Then run.

  Bark reached for me, but I was so much faster than him. I was standing in the doorway before he took his next step. “It’s just a little paralysis. She’ll survive. Just like you’ll survive this, don’t worry.” Bark’s voice sounded distant. “I know you will.”

  “You killed her!”

  Bark didn’t react. “I didn’t. She’ll survive. You have my word. In time, she’ll be back to her old self. By then, I’ll have your nanites.”

  Your word? The word of a man who’d attack those who called him a friend? Killa was still a pool of slime. Leaving her was hard, But I couldn’t stay and help. Not with that maniac. He won’t let me, and I don’t know what else to do.

  I shook my head and buried the tears as I ran away. Bark’s words terrified me. He’s irrational. Nothing I say will do any good. How can he be so obsessed with my nanites? I thought he was a nice guy. We were friends, right?

  As I ran, I headed to the exit.

  “Rina!” Bark’s voice echoed behind me.

  I need to think. I nearly made it back to the second floor when the temperature dropped drastically.

  The clicking sounds of shoes on the stone floor echoed and grew closer. Down the stairs walked the most terrifying and beautiful woman. On top of that, she was, without a doubt, a demon. She was tall with reflective onyx skin lined with jagged cracks that had a soft blue glow emanating from within.

  Her ebony hair cascaded down her back. In stark contrast to the rest of her, her eyes glowed bright blue, illuminating the room. The demoness’s features were a masterwork of beauty; her lips were full and dark, curled in a cruel smile as she laid eyes on me. Her sharp, black horns added another six inches to her already impressive height as they stretched from her forehead, nearly scraping the chamber’s low ceiling.

  From her back sprouted large wings, reminiscent of a bat’s, but without the membrane between the ‘fingers.’ Instead of skin, a thin layer of flexible ice flapped between them. I could feel the cold radiating from them.

  She wore a regal white gown. A thin layer of frost formed, shattered, and reformed on the dress with every step she took. The gown extended into a long train that pooled at her feet. How can she even walk in that thing? Her hands, slender and adorned with long, sharp talons, pointed at me.

  Ice devils love tormenting lesser devils as an outlet for their anger and resentment. Ice devils can take on many different shapes, and oftentimes, will mimic other species of devils. This devil has chosen to mimic a succubus. Devils are chaotic yet mostly predictable as they often personify one of the deadly sins of mortals. Ice devils personify Envy, but it seems this one has a lustful side as well.

  “I’ve finally found you.” Her voice was colder than the room. I started shivering at how cold the room was getting. “You’ve made me chase you into this dark, life-forsaken hole. It’s time to break the tie with your death.”

  “What?” I involuntarily shivered. It’s just so cold. “What score are you talking about?”

  She laughed. “I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me in this body. She wasn’t very thrilled when I took over. But I have to say...” She waved her hand, and a shower of flakes manifested. “This demonic power is intoxicating. I’m going to hang onto this demoness’s body as long as I can.”

  Is he now her?

  It seems that this is the cosmic assassin’s new body.

  As the demoness stepped further into the chamber, the air seemed to grow colder, plummeting to an unbearable degree. “But first, I have a job to do.” The ground beneath her frosted over creeped towards us.

  Yeah, he is now her. And he—she—is still after me. You were right, Orange.

  The demoness flicked her arm and threw a wave of ice towards me. I dove away. The ice slammed into the stone, shaking the room.

  I fired off a couple of shots at her. She threw her other arm up, and a wall of ice intercepted the bullets. They didn’t penetrate and the demon dropped the shield.

  The demoness wagged her finger at me. “Is that your best shot? That pitiful weapon won’t be enough this time. I’ve gotten better magic since last time.” She flapped her wings and gilded back while sending another wave of ice towards me.

  What’s with her talkativeness? It’s like he—she—is a completely different person.

  Insufficient information.

  I took the chance to run back the way I came, shooting at her as I did. The bullet fired off, but with a swift twist of her body, she deflected the bullet using the wave of ice she created. Her smile sent a chill down my spine.

  “Your screams are going to be so worth it.” Her voice oozed malice as she slowly followed after me.

  She’s not envious, she’s a sadist. Fortunately, since my speed was so high, outrunning her and her magic was easy. Can this get any worse?

  It was bad enough that I was being chased by Bark, but now the assassin showed up. And so soon too. I didn’t know what to do about either. Too much was happening too quickly and I desperately needed time to think. As sad as it was, Bark was the least dangerous of the two. He didn’t want me dead, so I ran towards him.

  Hopefully I can dodge him in one of the side paths we didn’t take on the way to Gary.

  A few rooms in and I was standing across the room from Bark. His chest heaved up and down as he glared at me. “Stop running Rina. Give me your nanites. Now!”

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